Heroes of Styness

Summer 2012 Campaign

In which we disrupt a Gandean spy ring and destroy a valuable piece of furniture.

About a day’s journey north of the drop box we came upon an old toolshed in the middle of an abandoned pig farm. Upon closer examination Bel discovered recent signs of use inconsistent with the general appearance of the structure, so Patrick summoned an earth elemental to investigate. It confirmed our suspicions that the shed was the entrance to a larger structure underground. Fearing that the door was trapped we dug into an earthen tunnel under the shed.

This tunnel lead to a stone structure that was much older and larger, an ancient stronghold of sorts that was being used by the Gandean spies as a base of operations. The first two tunnels we explored were dead ends. One having caved in and the other being an empty dormitory. Going down the third tunnel we almost walked into a trap, as we realized that there was another hallway above us with arrow slits in the floor/ceiling. Three guards had their crossbows trained on us, however after Malcolm alerted the others Patrick expanded one of the arrow slits into a larger hole through which the most heavily armed of the guards fell. While the rest of the party was dealing with him Mal teleported (don’t ask) to the level above to engage the other two. After wounding one with my swords and knocking out the other, Mal rejoined the party to discover that the big man had escaped and barricaded the room ahead of us and that a cleric had joined the fray and having been subdued, committed suicide.

We managed to force open the door to find a room with several benches and tables, where a number of clerks had been transcribing documents. They fled down an adjoining tunnel while the big guard and what appeared to be a valuable Rosewood table held us off (the table was enchanted, its legs were quite painful). After defeating the table and the guard, we collected various papers scattered around the room as evidence and went off in pursuit of the clerks. This path took us to the upper hallway and farther along we encountered the guard Mal previously had knocked out. Subduing him again, we approached the cornered clerks.

At their front was Richard May, a local cleric who had joined the Gandeans. Attempting to calm the clerks so we could arrest them, Curteel and Malcolm began to question Richard. We were making progress when Patrick unexpectedly shot him in the foot. This caused a general rout, as the clerks panicked and attempted to escape. We chased them down and knocked them out, but weren’t quick enough to stop two of them from getting to the door of the shed, which was, as we suspected, rigged with an explosive. If the unlucky clerks they weren’t killed by the blast were buried when the tunnel collapsed seconds later. Fortunately we were able to make it to the surface in time. After breaking for lunch we dug out the entrance using Quentin’s knowledge of mining to stabilize the dirt walls. We found that the clerks and Richard had awoken and fled down a tunnel that we had not explored previously, which led to an underground river where they escaped in boats.

Seeing that there was no more that we could do, and that we had fulfilled and exceeded our task, we decided to return to Styness with ample evidence of a conspiracy and a prisoner in tow. we collected the weapons and armor that the guard possessed. We made a brief stop in Werrickshire, where we learned that the gnome and the elf we had fought previously had fallen victim to mob violence, and where Patrick distinguished himself by watering the fields of a local farmer. When we arrived back in Styness several days later Erik went in to talk to Sheriff Colson. He seemed perturbed about something when he came out, but wouldn’t tell us what it was. He gave us the day off so we sold the gear we had collected earlier. Quentin went off to visit Jane, and the rest of the party went off to prepare for our meeting with the sheriff tomorrow.

In which a smaller party means no smaller amount of chaos

Bel,

I’ve noticed you’ve been keeping copious notes on our journeys since Attainment, so I figured I’d scribble out a report on our encounter at the dropbox when Patrick and I went to meet Malcolm, since you weren’t present. I think you’ll agree it was quite the spectacle.

We caught up with Mal on a calm, quiet night. I should say, he caught up with us, as Patrick and I didn’t realize where Mal had hid himself until he poked his head out. He hadn’t yet seen any activity, but as we told him what had happened at the Sigrid River bridge, we heard some heavy wings and footsteps from that direction. Malcolm set himself back in his lookout point, and Patrick and I hid nearby and listened for voices.

We heard a conversation between two members of the conspiracy. Somone important seemed to be meeting with a more local leader. The local turned out to be Richard May, the Cleric of Werrickshire, and his superior was none other than Tholme! But I’m getting ahead of myself. The discussion centered on our escapades, so we should cetainly believe that Gandean agents are keeping tabs on us. The Cleric was asking Tholme for more aid or reinforcements of some sort, since he had misgivings about being able to handle us and our investigation. Tholme however was quite reticent about committing more resources to stopping us, worried about tipping their hand too soon.

Before they could resolve this disagreement, Patrick blow our cover by stepping on and loudly snapping a twig. Tholme began to walk towards us to investigate, so Patrick summoned an eagle to attack him. A brief fight ensued, involving some magical pits, an earth elemental, and Tholme’s pegasus—-that being the wings we heard previously—-which ended with Richard May running from us with Mal and I in pursuit, and Tholme flying away but chased by Patrick’s summoned creatures.

Mal shortly gave up pursuit, thinking he could track Richard later, so I also halted and turned around. As we did so, Tholme came crashing out of the sky nearby, victim of a quite clever trick of Patrick’s. An enlargement spell had made the man so large the horse couldn’t carry him, causing him to fall. You’ll have to ask him how that worked; I am little schooled in spellcraft, as you well know.

At this point, Tholme was quite badly hurt. Malcolm did what he could to aid him, and I bound him so that even injured, he couldn’t escape. We also collected some items from Tholme and from the dropbox, including 50 GP, 100 PP, a healing potion, some masterwork quality equipment including a chain shirt, a longsword, and a heavy steel shield, and some lesser quality works including a dagger, shortbow, and arrows. There was also a bundle of papers in the dropbox that I have not yet begun to search through, but I’m sure we’ll find some interesting tidbits within.

Malcolm woke Tholme with some smelling salts, and we began to question him—-more humanely, I must say, than certain other recent interrogations, though of course not without some of Patrick’s usual shenanigans. It was at this point that we learned his identity, although I had realized after losing him in the woods that I did recognize his companion. It took a bit of time to get Tholme talking, but in time and with some coaxing, he had quite a bit to say.

Tholme was quite critical of our fair Sherrif, the Antistitor Primoris Bernard Corson. He seemed to be trying to indicate that Corson is using us in some way, although I strongly suspect he was trying to grasp at anything to put me off guard.

He confirmed Richard May’s identity, and noted that he was likely running up the Cow Path toward a safe house—-one hidden in a literal pile of dung, somewhere ten miles to the east. I suspect we’ll be able to find him there once we all meet back up (which surely has already happened if you’re reading this).

He gave his justification for the conspiracy, claiming that Styness is turning in on itself and not producing anything of value to the world. He noted that his agents offer Gandea necromancy technology in exchange for information about the world beyond the Stynessian sphere of influence. While talking, he seemed to indicate that he was a believer in Lorr, the “God” of Gandea.

I was able to ask him what he know about the goblins that attacked us initially on the road to Rholv. It was his belief that they had acquired their amulet and phylacteries as a result of some experiment of the Gandeans. I’m not fully convinced this is the whole story, but it also seems that Tholme does not know or control everything his Gandean allies do.

Significantly, Tholme did indicate that the conspiracy currently has no agents inside the clergy, and so they do not yet know the ritual that makes Stynessian skeletons special. They know that it involves prayers and spells, as well as a material component, the phylacteries. It seems they get phylacteries to experiment on from captured skeletons [I had written “capt skelts” in my notes and was trying to remember who this captain was until I figured out what I’d actually meant]. However, they have not been able to fully reverse-engineer the process of creating and endowing them.

At this point, we had no further questions. I was of course unwilling to kill Tholme in cold blood, but he was not healthy enough to travel with us and we weren’t quite equipped to take another prisoner, so we decided to leave him and let his ancestors decide his fate. Patrick suggested taking some hair clippings from him, seeming to think that you might know a way to use this to learn whether he lived or not.

As we prepare to sleep for what’s left of the night, the healing potion seems to have gone missing. My suspicion is that Malcolm gave it to Tholme to ease his final hours, but I didn’t see for sure. In any case, I’m not going to confront him about it, as it was probably the right thing to do. Mal wanted to try to track Richard through the woods as soon as possible, but I suspect it may be better for us all to regroup first, since we’re quite confident we know where he is.

I know you and I previously had misgivings about the nature of our mission and the motivations of the Sherrif, so here’s my current thinking (so that Erik doesn’t overhear). There still may or may not be something nefarious behind his sending us out here, but whether he’s involved or not there certainly seems to be something that some important people want to hide from the public. I don’t yet advocate any deviation from our current mission, but is it possible that we’re fighting on the wrong side? Just some food for thought for now, and we should certainly be careful in discussing it as I don’t want to risk sacrificing the relative autonomy Eric has given us so far, nor the friendship of our more explosively nationalistic friends.

Once you’ve had a chance to read through this, I’ll of course be happy to fill you in on any other details you have questions about. I’m also sure you’ll want to perform whatever wizardry you do to integrate my report with your own notes, since I know how much you like to cross-reference information.

In which we Face Consequences

Erik Bornald is pissed about our misadventures from the Previous Session. Erik has looked up Tholme. He lives north of Shropsborrough. He comes from a good, honored family, but ran off to become a hermit. Because Erik insists we leave town and not create any more of a disturbance, we decide to travel north to capture Tholme. Malcolm Chandler goes to watch the drop-box the Phylactery smugglers have been using to get messages to Tholme.

Erik Bornald returns earlier than we had expected after a trip to gather what he’d need for our journey north, insists we start off on the Cowpath right away. He deputizes Patrick Kelley to give him cover for joining us. We travel a few hours north of Werrickshire. At this point, we identify the items, discovering that we have a Ring of +1 Wisdom, an Amulate of Undead Control, and a Phylactery. A phylactery is all that is needed to animate a skeleton, but the ritual known only with a few too many exceptions to Stynesian Clergy is needed to grant them their special intelligence and ability to obey commands. We decide Malcolm Chandler needs the ring most, but loan it to Curteel BundoMalcolm is away.

Two days on our journey, we camp outside of a copse of trees just south of the bridge over the Sigrid River. We see two Border Guards on the bridge.

The next morning, there are ten Guards. We try to come up with a plan, but eventually try to talk our way across the bridge. There is a Captain in a sky-blue cloak. He says his name is Alfric Buckner. His cloak is the wrong shade of blue, and his badge is poorly made. His accent is also slightly Foreign.

Erik Bornald picks up on these clues, and we begin to criticize the “Kitten,” convincing the guards that he is an impostor. We eventually convince them, and load him up in the cart as a prisoner.

There are about 100 Gandean agents in Styness, and maybe 500 Stynesian sympathizers. Mantico’s handler uses the cover name Thorren Blackwool. They were trying to halt us at the bridge because they heard we busted up their opperations in Werrickshire. The highest-up sympathizer is named Borogrund McGillicutty; he’s a big-wig in what is essentially the Sewer Department. Other nations have similar missions, even Lohrid (to quote Barraille, although the Gandean mission is the largest.

We open the chest with Matico’s belongings, but trigger a trap which destroys all the documents. There are also three phylacteries, a magic dagger, and 50 pp. We divide the pp (holding ten aside for Malcolm Chandler). We decide to chain Mantico Barraille up with him as a genuine prisoner, enhancing our cover. If he tries to cause a fuss, we explain that he is mentally disturbed.

Bel’s Thoughts
Nice to get a feel for what we’re facing, and know that there is a real foe. That being said, our enemy is rather sympathetic, and I could see us deciding to work with them – after all, supplying them with Phylacteries and spreading our religion can’t do us much harm, as long as the authorities don’t catch us. We should ask how the goblins figure into their scheme, and whether the Gandeans are involved in supplying them.

In which we Interrogate our Way through Bumpkin Land

After the GoblinsPhylacteries aren’t necessary to practice Necromancy, but they make better skeletons which last longer.Curteel’s wounds are worse than previously appeared, and he collapses into unconsciousness. Erik Bornald says that we need to get him to Werrickshire, the largest settlement in Rholv. The main road between villages in Rholv is called the Cowpath. Rholv ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level.

Werrickshire has a population of approxomately 500, not including skeletons, who are more common than people (/elves, /dwarves, etc). Erik Bornald believes Bork and the Goblins destroyed some skeletons and took the Phylacteries from them.

Olin, Bill, and Jolly are from Werrickshire. We arrive there late in the afternoon, on the second day of the three day Moving Up festival, the spring festival when the cattle move up to summer pastures in the north of Rholv. It appears to be a pleasant county fair; cows wander the streets of the village.

We are met by a fat and greasy man, who questions Erik who we are. He’s mostly upset because he thinks our appearance ruined the Celebration. Erik gives the fat man, Delm Fryborg, a piece of paper, with orders concerning us. We’re to do light work, lighter than we should be doing given our cover story, but giving us more freedom to spy. We’re set to sweep up after the celebration. Delm Fryborg also brings a cleric to tend our wounds and look after Curteel. Erik Bornald tells us to keep our ears open.

On the street, a gnome is selling mead from Northlund, an unusual sight in Rholv. He describes himself as a “Northlunder,” not “Northie,” as is more common. Patrick Kelley and Bel mention a (non-existent) note in Old Tongue they found in the room of the Inn where the gnome, Humbart Brommel had been staying; Humbart Brommel gets a little nervous and tries to run. We threaten him with the guard (it appears gnomes are second-class citizens and easy to boss around), and he and his bodyguard, Flordian try to fight us.

After we subdue them, we manage to talk Erik into letting us interrogate them out in the slaughter house. We also take their ledger, which uses codes based on Old Tongue. We decipher the codes; the ledger contains records of the goods and information Humbart Brommel has smuggled, the payoffs he received, and the costs he’s incurred, but each file uses code names for the goods or information, as well as the clients and mooks.

Quentin and Patrick Kelley proceed to tortureHumbart Brommel for information; essentially, he’s a smuggler. He’s been collecting information on the clergy for someone named Tholme, from the far north of Rholv. He drops the information in a secret spot, and someone else picks it up. We learn where that dropbox is.

We try to find a window into that room, but instead find a sleeping chamber with a woman sleeping. There are papers in the desk, and the same aura of Necromancy emanating from the wardrobe. Curteel makes his way to the room and sneaks in successfully. However, when he opens the wardrobe, he triggers a trap which causes a pound of marbles to drop out. Patrick Kelley stuns the woman with a color spray spell before she wakes. In the wardrobe we find an (inanimate) skeleton and a Phylactery. We grab the Phylactery and scoop up the papers from the desk, and make a hasty-yet-subtle retreat.

We regroup and meet up with Erik Bornald (bringing the innkeeper, who has been tied up), and proceed to tell him everything.

Bel’s Thoughts
Since we’ve almost certainly overstayed our welcome in Werrickshire, it’s likely time to continue north to the drop location and see who shows up. If that doesn’t lead to anything, we should go find this Tholme and find out why he is collecting information on the clergy. We need to decide whether we think the people in the kitchen where making Phylacteries, smuggling them, or something else. I should try to learn more about the process of making (although since it’s likely a divine spell, I probably won’t be able to replicate it). And who is going to such trouble over these Phylacteries, when as Erik Bornald said, it would be pretty easy to go around Rholv destroying skeletons and taking their Phylacteries?

Next session, we should go through the papers and also the magic items we took from Bork. I will have identify and comprehend languages prepared.

Also, what happens if you remove a Phylactery from an animate skeleton? And shouldn’t we also ask around in Werrickshire to see if we can find out what Olin, Jolly, and Bill were up to?

In which we are Deputized in a suspicious matter

The following day. We’re at work, when guards arrive separately at our workplaces. They insist we accompany them to the headquarters of the Guard to see I forget if there is another name for this place. All of us but Patrick Kelley are there. We’re gathered in an opulent waiting room. It’s a nice place. Guards wait on the couches, we stand.

The most noticeable feature of the room is an enormous mahogany desk, behind which sits a very bored looking Bernard Corson. He has heard from Eduard Masterson that we “assaulted a member of the night watch,” and proceeds to grill us on our involvement. After a while, he dismisses all the guards except for Lieutenant Erik Bornald. He then reveals that he knows the truth, that the guard was Bill masquerading. Bernard Corson tells us that he believes that Foreigners are forging Guard uniforms and badges. Because Bill, Olin, and Jolly all work in the agriculture bureau in Rholv, Corson believes the foreigners are based there. He wants us to find evidence of foreigners and/or counterfeiting. Erik Bornald will transport us to Rholv in the guise of prisoners. Bernard Corson gives each of us 10 pp and the rest of the day to shop and prepare.

That afternoon, we meet to discuss our options. Bel and Curteel Bundo don’t trust that the Sheriff is telling us the truth: either he is so paranoid he believes this is the work of foreigners, or he’s lying to us to cover something, likely political infighting. In case we’re way over our heads, we’d like to find an escape route short of running off into the mountains. We don’t come up with anything , but agree to keep on the lookout for signs that we don’t know the whole truth.

Into the Wilds
The next morning (Sunday), we gather at the West Gate. Erik Bornald demonstrates the secret hiding places in the wagon. Bel wonders what the Guard uses these wagons for normally. We’re manacled to the wagon, but there is a release mechanism under Erik Bornald’s control. We begin our journey.

A few hours away from Rholv, passing through a narrow pass along a mountain stream, we’re ambushed by half a dozen goblins, a pair of orcs, and several goblin skeletons. The skeletons have the same Phylacteries as Stynesian skeletons. Erik Bornald releases us, and we defeat them, despite the fact that one of the goblins is a cleric and created several skeletons. One of the orcs escapes, and we capture Bizog the goblin. He tells us about his tribe’s village, and how their Shaman Bork became smarter recently and learned to create skeletons. We question Bizog and then after an argument about what to do with him we leave him to signal us if he sees anyone following.

Bel’s Thoughts on the Matter
I’m not sure whether we’ll find foreigners or someone else behind this. I need to know more about how skeletons are created, but if the Phylacteries are a necessary part of the magic, it makes sense that the same group who is forging badges could be forging Phylacteries for the goblins. However, it seems unlikely that Foreigners would be using necromancy in any kind of attack on Styness. Assuming there is nothing immediately strange in Rholv, I think we should find out who could be forging badges and/or Phylacteries. I think many artisans make Phylacteries, but it might be an unusual thing for someone out in Rholv to be doing.

In which we are Attained and go to a party

Background Information
Styness is a city of approximately 100,000. The city is arranged in a circle. The whole region is cut off from the rest of the continent by the Kelkar Mountains, and there are only a few (one?) difficult passes to the outside world. There are two other valleys connected to Styness by lower passes – Northlund and Rholv valleys. Styness was founded approxomately 850 years ago by outcasts from elsewhere on the continent. These outcasts were driven out due to their use of Necromancy.

Styness City is divided into three sections, corresponding to the three Paths: Artisan, Artist, and Philosopher. More important members of society have residences closer to the center. At the center is an enormous Grey Tower of unknown height which houses the Empyrean. The Empyrean is an enormous blue flame. Blue Smoke rises over the city out the top of the tower. Styness’s governing Religion holds that the souls of the departed enter the Empyrean, where the afterlife is located. Since Styness acknowledges planar Cosmology, do the souls of the dead not appear on the planes?

Styness is a bureaucratic theology. The chief of state is the Prelate Nullius(awesome title)Gerod Tremane. Lives are controlled by the state, and everyone has a permanent record.

Bodies of the dead are animated as Skeletons. These skeletons provide cheap labor, allowing the entire society to function at a fairly high technological and intellectual level. The skeletons are not associated with the people to whom they once belonged. The skeletons break down over roughly a century, so the population does not grow astronomically.

Northlund Valley is lower than Styness, and is connected by the Sigrid River. Most of the agricultural products come from Northlund. Rholv is higher and connected by a mountain road. The terrain is high prairie, and a lot of animal husbandry (primarily goats and sheep) takes place there.

It Starts
We begin the game at our Attainment (promotion from apprentice to journeyman in our various careers. Essentially graduation). This takes place in a large square just north of the Grey Tower. 1,500 young people are attained today, slightly larger than usual. Quentin notices Jane and her sexy alterations to her robes. There is discussion of food.

Several long speeches ensue. Bernard “Sheriff” Corson is the police chief/captain of the Guard for the city and speaks first. Bel is discretely reading a historical essay about the hushed-up case of the heretical uncle of a previous Prelate Nullius. Attainment is the “social event of the season,” and all the movers and shakers are there.

The next speaker is Jory Hern, the First Artisan. He repeats himself frequently, using short sentences. Not much of a public speaker.

The next speaker is Carlotte Malmsten, the First Artist. She uses obnoxious metaphors and tries to sound smarter than she is. Next comes Manwe Suchkin, the First Philosopher. He’s impatient at having to wait to speak, since he’s such a better speaker than the others (and knows it). He has a morbid turn of mind, and the gist of his speech is “be a good citizen, because someday you will die.”

Finally Gerod Tremane speaks. He reads segments from an ancient history of Styness analogous to the Bible, although not a holy text itself. He speaks well, but gives the same speech every year: be good citizens so you will join the Empyrean.

We’re all glad that Fredrik Fegal, the old First Artist joined the Empyrean five years ago – he seemed to believe the longer the speech the better.

After Attainment we have a chance to go to the fancy State Dinner/Tea Party or a student after party. Naturally, we choose the student party and proceed to get drunk. Shenanigans ensue. Quentin tries to rufie Jane (and Patrick tries to rufie Bel…). Patrick picks a fight with Emmond Braggus, Malcolm is working, and Bel is dancing with Queelie, an attractive young gnome.

Emmond Braggus is a bully. Patrick tricks him into getting too drunk. Frena Goldwin, a “nancy-type” cleric shows up and heals him of alcohol poison, then drags him off. Emmond‘s friends/mooks Olin (human) and [[:jolly] (Dwarf. It’s his name, not an ironic nickname) come and start arguing with Patrick about his tricks, but they’re too drunk to figure out what to say.

Quentin and Patrick are trying to get some illicit substances. Patrick summons a toad to try to get high, but I bet the toad was poisonous. They don’t actually do anything. Then we find out that Jolly’s buddy Schmidt is dealing. We “pimp” Jane & some of her friends for Lady-Jane-esque drugs. We get walking to another party, where the drugs are. We now discover that the original student party was at Jane’s family’s house.

We’re on our way to a bad neighborhood when we round a corner and see Jolly, Olin and one other figure coming toward us. The other figure is dressed as a Day Guard, although it’s night. The guard tries to detain us, but he doesn’t have solid justification. The three of them try to grab us, so Bel runs for help. Before he gets back with a Night Guard, Quentin and Patrick have knocked the three out. They discover forged Guard badges. The name on the badge the guy dressed as a guard is Josef Karamazov. Olin has a day guard badge with the name Gabriel Nyder. Jolly is carrying a sack with 20 gp?

Bel returns with a mustachio’d night Guard, who recognizes the “Night Guard” as Bill, a local malcontent and/or drunkard. Fortunately he believes that they attacked us, rather than the other way around, and halls them off for impersonating guards. The mustachio’d guard is named Eduard Masterson. We thank him for his assistance with 8 gp and Curteel can I call him Curt? promises to spread his fame. We reach second level.

Bel’s Thoughts on the matter:
I would have thought Jolly and Olin had roped Bill into a plot to get back at us for what Patrick did to Emmond, but the counterfeit badges required preparation. Also, what’s with the 20 gp? Were they payed to go after us? If so, we have enemies more threatening than a few bullies, about whom I know nothing. It’s clear that I’m currently useless in combat, although I hadn’t prepared my spells with combat in mind. Schmidt ran off as soon as trouble started, so he might be the cause of some trouble later. Jane & her friend (never caught her name) seem like good eggs, maybe deserving of more respect.

A blog for your campaign

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.